My songs of the year

Every year I put together a CD for friends and family of my favourite songs from the year. Since my time as Editor at Left Foot Forward has come to an end, I thought I’d indulge myself by posting the list on LFF. Happy Christmas one and all!

Will’s songs of 2010

1. ‘Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains‘ – Arcade Fire. This is my favourite track from what will be many people’s album of the year. Easily missed at the end of the album but sets the tone for this whole mix.

2. ‘O.N.E.‘ – Yeasayer. This song got stuck in my head as soon as I heard it. Thankfully I’ve worked out that he’s not singing “hold me like a phone” like I initially thought.

3. ‘Heart is Strange‘ – School of Seven Bells. I thank the excellent ‘Sounds of the Universe’ record shop in Soho for this album.

4. ‘I Can Change‘ – LCD Soundsystem. In all honesty I thought this album was below par for James Murphy but this track was everything that is amazing about LCD.

5. ‘I Didn’t See It Coming‘ – Belle and Sebastian. Everyone’s favourite Glaswegians, release their first new material in four years and kick off with this gem.

6. ‘Revival‘ – Deerhunter. Perfect indie for the Pitchfork crowd.

7. ‘People Can Do the Most Amazing Things‘ – Kisses. California’s sun-kissed answer to shoegazing.

8. ‘Burden of Tomorrow‘ – The Tallest Man on Earth. How can Swedish folk singer, Kristian Matsson, sound (a) fresh, and (b) just like Dylan. The man’s a genius.

9. ‘Heirloom‘ – Sufjan Stevens. A return to form for best thing to come out of the midwest since Poptarts.

10. ‘Afraid of Everyone‘ – The National. The Ohioan gloom-mungers played three outstanding sell out shows at the Brixton Academy in November. It was a tricky choice but this is my favourite song from the band’s new album.

11. ‘Spanish Sahara‘ – The Foals. The rest of their album is a bit wet for my tastes, but NME’s single of the year is a superb song in the quiet-loud genre.

12. ‘On Melancholy Hill‘ – Gorillaz. Damon Albarn sounds almost Blur-like in this song bringing back all those teenage memories.

13. ‘Heaven’s On Fire‘ – The Radio Dept. This reminds me of Lemon Jelly – simple, happy electropop.

14. ‘All To All‘ – Broken Social Scene. I simply can’t understand why this album hasn’t taken off. Best album I’ve bought all year and best live show too (at Koko). This song is the grown up sister of ‘Anthems for a 17-year-old girl’ from ‘You Forgot It In People’.

15. ‘Not In Love‘ – Crystal Castles (feat. Robert Smith). A lot of their album is just noise (good noise, mind). But finessed with those famous dulcet tones, this one’s an instant classic.

16. ‘Starfield‘ – The New Division. Quite simply, a banger.

17. ‘Take It In‘ – Hot Chip. Their best album by far and appropriate to end this compilation with the closer from their album.

Hat-tip: My fiancee, Claire Howard